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Grilled Persimmon and Blueberry Salad with Feta Cheese & Macadamias

Don’t we all just love to eat fruit in their most natural ripe and raw form? Especially during summer when it’s hot and we’re looking to quench our thirst on juicy bits of mother nature’s candy.

But as the weather is cooler and we’re just starting to put on light cardigans; I find myself drawn towards dishes with autumn fruit that have either been grilled, roasted, or baked. I think they just bring another dimension of flavor, with a combination of smoky charred surfaces and sticky caramelization.

Presenting… grilled sweet persimmon, salty feta, crunchy macadamias, and a tangy blueberry vinaigrette. A recipe for a deliciously light and tasty salad where fruit is the star of the show.

Now I’ve only managed to use my grill pan a couple of times this year. Mainly because I live in an apartment with a useless kitchen vent, and every attempt at grilling indoors has been this ridiculous juggling act of running back and forth fanning the smoke alarm, and violently swinging the main door back and forth to aerate the whole place! All thanks to my continued fears of the alarm going nuts AGAIN in the ENTIRE building, and having the security show up at my door. The worst was steak, but that’s another story… (and recipe!)

So back to the salad! With October being flooded with amazing pumpkin and squash recipes everywhere, I thought of diverting my attention to another seasonal fruit… the often overlooked persimmon. It’s sweet when ripe, firm to the touch, and pairs really well with savory or salty ingredients. It also doesn’t fall apart easily on the grill. I had a few more sachet of bilberry powder to make a vividly dark pink and tangy vinaigrette that looked beautiful on the salad greens.

So fire up that grill (you dare-devils you!), char a few persimmons and enjoy making this salad that happily covers all of your sweet, tangy, and savory taste buds.

Candied Nuts*

Note

* If you're looking to skip additional sweetness, you could skip this part and only toast the nuts over a dry pan for a delicious crunch

** Feel free to use any whole nut you prefer such as pecans, almonds, or walnuts. Just adjust the quantities / ratio of honey with the smaller nuts

Instructions

Bilberry Vinaigrette

In a small blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and blend finely to create a smooth dressing.

Transfer to a jar, cover, and chill in the fridge.

Candied Nuts*

Preheat the oven to 175C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix together the sweetener, salt, and pepper. Toss with the nuts and mix to combine.

Spread the nuts out on the baking sheet and roast for 7-10 minutes keeping an eye out not to burn them

Remove and set aside to cool and get crisp. Place the nuts on a chopping board (or plastic bag) and crush some to get some bite size chunks.

Persimmons

Remove the stems from the persimmons and slice them in half. Cut each half into 4 wedges to create a total of 8 wedges per persimmon.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high until almost smoking

Brush each persimmon side with oil and place them onto the sizzling grill, do not over-crowd or move them once they're on the grill.

Sear them for about 2-3 minutes, lift with a tong to check one for grill marks, then flip over and grill on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove them onto a plate and set aside to cool.

To arrange the salad

Drain the onions and pat dry.

In a large bowl, combine the salad greens, onions, and most of the persimmons and blueberries. Add a few spoons of the vinaigrette over, and toss lightly to combine.

Spread the mixture out onto a large platter, top with the rest of the blueberries and persimmons, crumbled feta, a handful of candied nuts, and drizzle more of the delicious bilberry vinaigrette on top.